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Author Topic: manhunt under way 4 dead, 1 injured in Thanksgiving shooting(ONE ARREST)  (Read 8320 times)
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cw618
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« on: November 27, 2009, 12:01:38 PM »

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/1353760.html

manhunt under way
4 dead, 1 injured during Thanksgiving shooting
By SONJA ISGER AND BILL DIPAOLO
PALM BEACH POST

Four people, including a 6-year-old girl, are dead and another is in the hospital after police say a man opened
fire on his relatives as they gathered for a Thanskgiving Day feast in Jupiter last evening.

The search is on for 35-year-old Michael Merihige of Miami, who left the scene in a blue 4-door Toyota with Florida
 tags W427JT.

Sheriff's deputies were called to the home at 104 Via Veracruz after multiple calls to 911 shortly after 10 o'clock,
 Palm Beach County Sheriff's spokesman Sgt. Scott Pascarella reported at 2 a.m. Friday.

The Thanksgiving Day gathering had drawn about 17 friends and family to the home, Pascarella said this morning.
At some point, Merhige arrived, left and then returned, shooting his sisters Lisa and Carla Merhige, as well as
Ramon Joseph and 6-year-old Makayla Sitton.

Makayla was asleep in her bed when she was shot. Makayla is the daughter of a News Channel 5 photographer Jim Sitton
who is the brother of the two women who were killed, according to that station's website.

"It was a domestic disturbance. That's all we know," Pascarella said this morning. "What triggered the gunfire,
we don't know."

The first call to 911 came from neighbors who heard gunfire, the second call came from within the home.

Makayla's parents were not shot. Makayla's father told those at the scene that he tucked his daughter into bed
Thursday night. He said the girl was eager for Friday, when she planned to perform in the Nutcracker.

The family moved into the neighborhood about two years ago, said Jackie Feldman, who lives about six doors down.
The little girl was homeschooled and the families often talked, particularly about their daughters who were close
in age and their dogs, who shared a given name: Abby.

"I don't understand how a person could shoot a little girl while she was lying in her bed. What could possibly be
so wrong in your life that you would do that?" Feldman asked this morning, as authorities began to gather evidence
inside the home after waiting most the night for a search warrant.

A visibly shaken Sitton spoke to local television crews about his daughter: "God packed a lot of sweetness into
that little body."

video and slideshow at the link

i just dont know what to say about this



(Edit to add "one arrest" to subject line.  MB)
« Last Edit: January 03, 2010, 04:07:53 PM by MuffyBee » Logged

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« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2009, 08:02:39 PM »

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/1354491.html

Posted on Friday, 11.27.09

Source: Merhige had history of mental problems
By JOHN LANTIGUA
PALM BEACH POST
Paul Michael Merhige, the man police believe killed four and wounded two at a family Thanksgiving dinner in Jupiter,
killing four and wounding two, has a history of mental problems and suicide attempts, according to a handyman who
worked for his family.

Luis Sanchez, 56, who works for many families in the neighborhood, said he had worked for the Merhiges for at least
six years and knew them very well.

"In fact, I was going to call them yesterday to wish them Happy Thanksgiving, but I didn't do it," he said.

Sanchez said only Mehrige's parents, Michael and Carole, lived in the house, and the three children often visited.

"A friend of mine called this morning to tell me about this and I said that can't be true," said Sanchez, who is
originally from Peru. "But he said it was. I began to cry and then I began to pray. In don't understand what
happened.

"They are wonderful people," he said of the parents. "The fact is with this they have lost all three of their
children all at the same time and I can't imagine how painful that must be for them. The fact that the twin sisters
came into life together and then died on the same day too; my God!"

Merhige was an honors student at the University of Miami in the early 1990s, joining the school's Alpha Lambda Delta
honor society, according to Miami Herald archives.

At the Gulliver Preparatory Academy, he was an top scholar on the national Advanced Placement (AP) test and graduated
with a 5.16 grade point average. He also earned scholarships while on the football team, kicking a winning 45-yard
field goal in September 1991 to beat rival Westminister Christian, and played on Gulliver's baseball team as well.

In 1986, the Miami Herald reported, Merhige, then an 11-year-old catcher, was one of 16 players from three South
Florida Khoury Leagues to play a series of games in Japan.

Today, Sanchez called Paul Merhige "a conflictive person."

He said he had done work for Paul at his apartment in nearby Coral Gables.

Lisa Knight joined Coldwell Banker Real Estate as a Realtor-Associate in August 2007, according to her page on the
Linkedin business social network. She previously worked for Miami-Dade County courts before obtaining her MBA from
 the University of Miami.

"Lisa is truly a gifted person with the talent to make anyone around her smile," Jackye Clayton, who had worked
with Lisa Knight, said on a Linkedin recommendation. "She is smart, honest and loyal. I have never met someone
so brave with such poise and grace."

Sanchez said Carla worked for the county, possibly in foster care.

He said he last saw Paul about five days ago at the parents' house but sensed no problems between them.

Sanchez said he was told by his clients in the neighborhood that police started knocking on doors on the street at
 about 5:30 a.m. Friday.

" I guess they were looking for Paul."

No Florida public records indicate Merhige has been involuntarily committed.

Under Florida law, anyone with a history of being involuntarily committed to a mental institution, or judged
incompetent or mentally defective, from obtaining a firearm permit.

But the law is silent about people voluntarily treated for mental illness.


Staff writers Eliot Kleinberg and Stacey Singer, staff researcher Niels Heimeriks, and staff database
editor Christine Stapleton contributed to this story.

now we know whats wrong with florida
But the law is silent about people voluntarily treated for mental illness
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« Reply #2 on: November 27, 2009, 08:11:05 PM »

http://www.thestate.com/136/story/1045946.html?storylink=omni_popular

4 relatives shot dead at Fla. Thanksgiving party
By TRAVIS REED - Associated Press Writer
Friday, Nov. 27, 2009

JUPITER, Fla. -- A Florida man opened fire on his family after Thanksgiving dinner, killing his pregnant sister,
6-year-old cousin and two other relatives before speeding off and initiating a statewide manhunt, police said Friday.

Police were still searching Friday evening for the suspect, Paul Michael Merhige, 35, of Miami.

He also is accused of gunning down his pregnant sister's twin and his 79-year-old aunt. Jupiter Police Sgt. Scott
Pascarella said there had been an "ongoing resentment" in the family, but did not elaborate.

"What led to this incident, we're not quite sure," Pascarella said. "It did not appear there was any altercation
prior to this shooting."

Pascarella said Merhige left briefly before returning to the gathering with a handgun.

Seventeen relatives had gathered in Jupiter, a small beach town about 90 miles north of Miami best known as a home
to celebrities including Michael Jordan and Burt Reynolds.

Police spokeswoman Sally Collins-Ortiz said the city had never experienced a slaying with so many victims.

The department enlisted the U.S. Marshals in the search for Merhige, who police said had no known criminal past. He
was believed to be driving a royal blue 2007 Toyota Camry with a rear spoiler and Florida license plate W42 7JT.

Pascarella said police first received a 911 call from a neighbor, then another from someone inside the home. The
residence, in a well-kept new subdivision with brick-paved driveways, is owned by local TV videojournalist Jim
Sitton and his wife. On Friday it was surrounded by yellow crime scene tape and police crime unit vans.

Sitton's daughter Makayla was the young victim. Police say she had gone to bed before the rampage.

Sitton told local media that his daughter was supposed to perform Friday in a holiday production of "The Nutcracker."

"God packed a lot of sweetness into that little body," Sitton said. "She's just our life. I don't know how we are
ever going to recover."

The other victims were Merhige's twin sisters, Carla Merhige and Lisa Knight, and an aunt, Raymonde Joseph. A
fifth victim, Merhige's brother-in-law Patrick Knight, was in critical but stable condition at a local hospital.
Another man, Clifford Gebara, 52, was grazed by a bullet but suffered no serious injury.

More family members gathered late Friday morning near Miami, declining to talk with reporters.

Neighbors in the Palm Beach County community were shocked as police processed the home.

"Our kids walk the streets by themselves," said Nicole Kemp, 67, who did not know any of the victims. "I thought it
was the safest place to live. I guess it doesn't matter, if there's a maniac here."

Carla Merhige was a real estate agent in Miami, said a co-worker.

"She was a wonderful agent," said Joanna Sherman, a manager at Coldwell Banker Residential real estate. "She was
very active in the community and in charities. She was just a genuine, beautiful individual. She always had a
smile for everybody."

Associated Press writers Suzette Laboy and Tamara Lush in Miami contributed to this report.

a slideshow at link



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« Reply #3 on: November 28, 2009, 11:37:44 AM »

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/1355492.html

Be On The Lookout -- or BOLO -- alert for Merhige and his royal blue Camry.

Posted on Saturday, 11.28.09
Police continue manhunt for suspect in Thanksgiving Day shooting
BY DAVID QUINONES crline dquinones@MiamiHerald.com

Law enforcement authorities continued their search over the weekend for the Miami man they say shot and killed four
relatives in Palm Beach County during a family gathering on Thanksgiving Day.

Paul Michael Merhige, 35, fatally shot his twin sisters, Carla Merhige and Lisa Knight, both 33 years old and from
Miami, along with two other relatives -- Raymonde Joseph, 76, and 6-year-old Maykayla Sitton. Authorities said Lisa
 Knight was pregnant. He also injured two others, including Patrick Knight, Lisa Knight's husband, police said.

Police say Michael Merhige had been at the home in Jupiter, where more than a dozen relatives were celebrating the
 holiday. He then left and returned about 10 p.m. and began shooting.

It's unclear what happened to send Merhige on the rampage, but police said he killed Maykayla as the little girl
 lay sleeping in her bed.

Appearing Saturday on Good Morning America, Maykayla's father Jim Sitton recounted the incident. Sitton said the
evening had been coming to an end when Merhige left the front door of the home, went out to his car, returned
through the back door and opened fire.

``I tried to lead [Maykayla] out, because I thought it was coming from the front, and I led her right to . . .
'' said a visibly shaken Sitton, before breaking into tears.

The manhunt has been broadened as far as Birmingham, Michigan, where police there have issued a
Be On The Lookout -- or BOLO -- alert for Merhige and his royal blue Camry.

It is believed that Merhige may have spent time in Michigan, perhaps to seek treatment. At least one source who
knew Merhige said he had a history of mental problems and suicide attempts.

Merhige, 35, who lived in Kendall, fled the home in a blue 2007 Toyota Camry.

Maykayla's father Jim Sitton, i feel so bad for him, now he has to live with the idea he
messed up trying to protect her
the plate info again
royal blue 2007 Toyota Camry with a rear spoiler and Florida license plate W42 7JT.

are their any Michigan monkeys, keep your eyes open, and be careful



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« Reply #4 on: December 01, 2009, 07:37:04 PM »

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5in1yL0Gbc_cnDRUsJ5Xh7J645_OAD9CANV680

Dad of victim: 4 Thanksgiving killings preplanned
By KELLI KENNEDY (AP)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Paul Merhige sat through three hours of Thanksgiving Day dinner and sing-a-longs around the
piano, plotting the moment he would fatally shoot four relatives, his cousin-in-law said Tuesday. After opening fire,
Merhige was heard saying he had waited 20 years to kill them.

There were no arguments, warnings or red flags before the rampage, said Merhige's cousin-in-law Jim Sitton, who hosted
 the dinner and whose 6-year-old daughter was killed. Merhige also shot his 79-year-old aunt to death and killed his
twin sisters, one of whom was pregnant, police said.

"He had this whole thing preplanned. His goal was to shoot his sisters and punish his parents," Sitton said.

It's not clear exactly who was shot when, but the bloodbath could have been worse with 16 family members present.
Sitton said Merhige, 35, also pointed the gun at Merhige's uncle, but it twice wouldn't fire. At one point, according
to Sitton, Merhige "turned and started to walk away and said, 'I have been waiting 20 years to do this.'"

Authorities were still searching for Merhige, who has not been seen since the shootings.

At Sitton's home in an upscale, gated community in Jupiter, a beach town some 55 miles north of Miami, crime scene tape
 still overshadows holiday decorations. Sitton said the holiday meal was a happy one.

His daughter, Makayla, wrote on cards how thankful she was for her family, and strung them on a clothesline. After
dinner, she sang songs as part of an impromptu dress rehearsal for a performance of "The Nutcracker" she was to be in
the next day.

Sitton, a videographer for a local television station, said he doesn't know who invited Merhige to his home, but he
thought little of it when Merhige's father called to say Merhige was on his way and needed directions.

Sitton said his wife's cousin was always on the fringe of family life and rarely attended gatherings. He had only met
 Merhige twice and hadn't seen him in more than a decade.

Sitton said Merhige methodically picked off his victims, shooting his twin sisters, Carla Merhige, a real estate agent
, and Lisa Knight, who was pregnant. Like Makayla, they loved to sing.

Merhige also shot his aunt, Raymonde Joseph. Merhige's brother-in-law Patrick Knight was in critical but stable
condition at a hospital Tuesday. Another man, Clifford Gebara, 52, was grazed by a bullet.

Sitton doesn't think Merhige planned to kill Makayla, but thinks he became jealous when he saw the family delight in her
singing.

"He tried to snuff out the light," Sitton said. "He came into a baby's room. He saw her innocence and he walked in and
 purposefully killed her."

Sitton said he dreaded returning to his home, but was comforted when he walked into his daughter's room Sunday. Beside
 her bed, he wept when he read for the first time a novel she had been writing about a squirrel. Makayla was a
voracious reader, who loved to sing, dance and tell stories. She would have turned 7 in a few days.

Jupiter police were looking in bodies of water near the home, though the search wasn't based on any specific tip,
officer Sally Collins-Ortiz said. Investigators also alerted Michigan authorities to be on the lookout for Merhige
because a doctor in the Detroit area treated him there three months ago. Authorities have not said what the doctor
treated him for.

Sitton called Merhige "a monster" but said he didn't know if Merhige suffered from mental illness.

Court documents showed Merhige and his siblings had a troubled history. Nearly a decade ago, Merhige sought protection
 from law enforcement after he accused his sister of trying to kill him, according to records obtained by The Miami
Herald. He dropped the request a few weeks later.

In 2006, Carla Merhige, requested a restraining order against her brother saying he threatened to kill her and himself
, the newspaper reported. She also withdrew her request a few weeks later.

Merhige was believed to be driving a royal blue 2007 Toyota Camry with a rear spoiler and a Florida license plate.

Prosecutors issued an arrest warrant Saturday for four counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first
-degree murder. A $10,000 reward was offered for information leading to his arrest.

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« Reply #5 on: December 01, 2009, 07:39:12 PM »

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/crime/source-father-requested-that-thanksgiving-killer-attend-holiday-93282.html?printArticle=y

Source: Father requested that Thanksgiving killer attend holiday meal
By John Lantigua and Andrew Marra


Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Updated: 7:22 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009

The man accused of killing four people at a Thanksgiving dinner in Jupiter was invited at the last minute by his
father, who called their host to ask if their mentally troubled son could tag along, a source close to the family
 said.

Unbeknowst to his father, police say Paul Michael Merhige was already planning a bloody attack.

The 35-year-old Miami man, who had a history of threatening family members, had recently purchased guns and days
earlier had reclaimed his passport from his parents, according to his mother.

Prior to Thursday's slayings, Merhige also bought a cover for his blue Toyota Camry, possibly to conceal the car
 from law enforcement after the attack, the family source told The Palm Beach Post.

Jupiter police say all signs indicate Merhige had been planning the shooting even before being invited to a
Thanksgiving feast at the house of his cousin, Muriel Sitton, and her husband Jim.

After he began shooting at the family gathering, a witness said Merhige announced: "I've been waiting 20 years
to do this."

Killed in the attack were his twin sisters, Carla Merhige and Lisa Knight, both 33 and from Miami; his aunt
Raymonde Joseph, 76, of Jupiter; and 6-year-old Makayla Sitton, daughter of Muriel and Jim. Two other relatives
 were injured.

Relatives said Merhige was calm throughout the dinner and never appeared angry. They said they believed the
attack was his horrific way of punishing his family for what his mother called "16 years of problems."

Six days later, family members are still grieving over the deaths of four relatives and the search is still on
for the alleged mass murderer.

Police divers searched a pond Tuesday near the Sittons' house in an upscale Jupiter neighborhood, looking for
additional evidence in the case.

The divers eventually left empty-handed, a police spokesman said. They had been searching for evidence from the
killings or traces of Merhige.

Police spokeswoman Sally Collins called the search "standard protocol" and said they had no specific indication
that anything related to the killings might be in the water.

The gun used in Thursday's shooting has not yet been recovered, but officials declined to say if that was the
focus of their search.

The manhunt for Merhige has gone nationwide, with alerts sent out to officers across the country and the U.S.
Marshal's Service offering a $10,000 reward leading to his capture.

But so far the search's most visible facets have focused on the Jupiter area. On Monday, sheriff's deputies in
Martin County temporarily shut down Jonathan Dickinson State Park in Hobe Sound after receiving a tip that
Merhige, 35, may have been hiding there.

Although Merhige reportedly reclaimed his passport days before the shooting, a Jupiter police spokesman said
Tuesday that there was no indication that he had left the country.

He also has ties to Michigan but there is no sign he has fled there either, police say.

video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRWfgZfwq4w&feature=player_embedded


maybe he went to cananda, to flee to another country or even mexico
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« Reply #6 on: December 02, 2009, 06:43:02 PM »

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5in1yL0Gbc_cnDRUsJ5Xh7J645_OAD9CANV680

Dad of victim: 4 Thanksgiving killings preplanned

By KELLI KENNEDY (AP) – 1 day ago
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Paul Merhige sat through three hours of Thanksgiving Day dinner and sing-a-longs around the piano, plotting the moment he would fatally shoot four relatives, his cousin-in-law said Tuesday. After opening fire, Merhige was heard saying he had waited 20 years to kill them.
There were no arguments, warnings or red flags before the rampage, said Merhige's cousin-in-law Jim Sitton, who hosted the dinner and whose 6-year-old daughter was killed. Merhige also shot his 79-year-old aunt to death and killed his twin sisters, one of whom was pregnant, police said.
"He had this whole thing preplanned. His goal was to shoot his sisters and punish his parents," Sitton said.
It's not clear exactly who was shot when, but the bloodbath could have been worse with 16 family members present. Sitton said Merhige, 35, also pointed the gun at Merhige's uncle, but it twice wouldn't fire. At one point, according to Sitton, Merhige "turned and started to walk away and said, 'I have been waiting 20 years to do this.'"
Authorities were still searching for Merhige, who has not been seen since the shootings.
At Sitton's home in an upscale, gated community in Jupiter, a beach town some 55 miles north of Miami, crime scene tape still overshadows holiday decorations. Sitton said the holiday meal was a happy one.
His daughter, Makayla, wrote on cards how thankful she was for her family, and strung them on a clothesline. After dinner, she sang songs as part of an impromptu dress rehearsal for a performance of "The Nutcracker" she was to be in the next day.
Sitton, a videographer for a local television station, said he doesn't know who invited Merhige to his home, but he thought little of it when Merhige's father called to say Merhige was on his way and needed directions.
Sitton said his wife's cousin was always on the fringe of family life and rarely attended gatherings. He had only met Merhige twice and hadn't seen him in more than a decade.
Sitton said Merhige methodically picked off his victims, shooting his twin sisters, Carla Merhige, a real estate agent, and Lisa Knight, who was pregnant. Like Makayla, they loved to sing.
Merhige also shot his aunt, Raymonde Joseph. Merhige's brother-in-law Patrick Knight was in critical but stable condition at a hospital Tuesday. Another man, Clifford Gebara, 52, was grazed by a bullet.
Sitton doesn't think Merhige planned to kill Makayla, but thinks he became jealous when he saw the family delight in her singing.
"He tried to snuff out the light," Sitton said. "He came into a baby's room. He saw her innocence and he walked in and purposefully killed her."
Sitton said he dreaded returning to his home, but was comforted when he walked into his daughter's room Sunday. Beside her bed, he wept when he read for the first time a novel she had been writing about a squirrel. Makayla was a voracious reader, who loved to sing, dance and tell stories. She would have turned 7 in a few days.
Jupiter police were looking in bodies of water near the home, though the search wasn't based on any specific tip, officer Sally Collins-Ortiz said. Investigators also alerted Michigan authorities to be on the lookout for Merhige because a doctor in the Detroit area treated him there three months ago. Authorities have not said what the doctor treated him for.
Sitton called Merhige "a monster" but said he didn't know if Merhige suffered from mental illness.
Court documents showed Merhige and his siblings had a troubled history. Nearly a decade ago, Merhige sought protection from law enforcement after he accused his sister of trying to kill him, according to records obtained by The Miami Herald. He dropped the request a few weeks later.
In 2006, Carla Merhige, requested a restraining order against her brother saying he threatened to kill her and himself, the newspaper reported. She also withdrew her request a few weeks later.
Merhige was believed to be driving a royal blue 2007 Toyota Camry with a rear spoiler and a Florida license plate.
Prosecutors issued an arrest warrant Saturday for four counts of first-degree murder and two counts of attempted first-degree murder. A $10,000 reward was offered for information leading to his arrest.
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« Reply #7 on: December 02, 2009, 07:02:55 PM »

http://www.abcactionnews.com/news/local/story/New-photos-of-suspected-Thanksgiving-killer/6H7eM1jKL0Sc_QlF3oQQng.cspx

New photos of suspected Thanksgiving killer released





JUPITER, FL-- The Jupiter Police Department has released new photographs of the man suspected of killing four family members at a Thanksgiving gathering.

Police released photos of Paul Michael Merhige  from an ATM in Miami on November 22nd.

Investigators note that these pictures reveal he has a receding hairline and a heavy build.

Merhige was last seen driving a 2007 blue four-door Toyota Camry bearing Florida license plate W42-7JT. The vehicle has no tint on the windows and has a rear spoiler.....


READ STORY
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Jesus loves the little children, all the children in the world.
Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.

 Words: C. Her­bert Wool­ston (1856-1927)  Music: George F. Root (1820-1895)
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« Reply #8 on: December 04, 2009, 06:32:52 PM »

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/crime/fbi-joins-search-for-alleged-thanksgiving-shooter-says-99916.html

FBI joins search for alleged Thanksgiving shooter; Says Merhige has likely fled the state

By Michael LaForgia

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Updated: 5:01 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, 2009




JUPITER — A man accused of shooting and killing four family members at a Thanksgiving dinner apparently moved out of his Miami house and likely has fled the state, according to documents filed this afternoon in federal court.

As a result, the FBI has joined Jupiter Police and the U.S. Marshals Service in the search for Paul Michael Merhige, 35, the documents show.

Merhige gathered up clothing and a computer hard drive and withdrew "a large amount of cash" ahead of the Nov. 26 shootings, according to a sworn statement by FBI task force agent Paul Bruno.

Bruno said in his statement that Merhige "had travel funds available to him" and noted that Merhige got his passport from his mother a week before the shootings.

After Thanksgiving dinner at a family member's Jupiter home, Merhige pulled a gun and shot six relatives, killing four. Among the dead were a 6-year-old girl, her 76-year-old grandmother and Merhige's two sisters, one of whom was pregnant, police said.

State Attorney Michael McAuliffe on Thursday requested the FBI's help under the federal unlawful flight to avoid prosecution statute, citing evidence that Merhige has fled the state.

McAuliffe agreed that Florida will extradite and prosecute Merhige if he's caught outside the state, Bruno said.

Details that police say outline Merhige's careful preparation for the attack have emerged bit by bit during the past week.

A day before the rampage, Merhige stopped at a South Florida gun shop, police said. Security camera footage made public this afternoon shows Merhige standing at a gun counter, chatting casually with a clerk.

Police wouldn't say whether Merhige bought a gun during the visit and refused to name the gun shop.

As authorities continued their search, a Jupiter business this morning offered an additional $10,000 for information on the fugitive, raising the reward in the case to $35,000.

Police refused to name the company, which asked to remain anonymous, said Sgt. Scott Pascarella, agency spokesman.

Merhige was last seen driving a royal blue 2007 Toyota Camry sedan with a rear factory spoiler.

"He is considered armed and dangerous," a police statement said.

Despite a nationwide manhunt, there have been no confirmed sightings of Merhige since the night of the shootings.

The search has extended from Miami-Dade County to Michigan and already has included two false alarms; the latest happened Wednesday night at a downtown Miami condo.

On Thursday, marshals posted on their Web site a psychological profile of Merhige, describing him as possibly effeminate or homosexual and cataloging his health ailments.

His prescription medications include pills for bipolar disorder, anxiety and high blood pressure.

Dr. Park Dietz, a forensic psychiatrist and criminologist who testified in the trials of Jeffrey Dahmer, Susan Smith and others, said people who run from the law after violent crimes are at a high risk of suicide, and especially "suicide by cop."

As authorities searched for Merhige, his family continued preparing today for a public funeral for Makayla Sitton, 6, and her 76-year-old grandmother Ramonde Joseph, who both were shot to death on Thanksgiving.

Anyone with information about Merhige can call Jupiter police at (561) 746-6201 or Crime Stoppers at (800) 458-TIPS (8477).
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« Reply #9 on: December 04, 2009, 06:35:18 PM »

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2009/12/04/Federal-marshals-step-up-Merhige-search/UPI-36711259935547/

Federal marshals step up Merhige search


Published: Dec. 4, 2009 at 9:05 AM

PALM BEACH, Fla., Dec. 4 (UPI) -- Federal authorities said Friday they were stepping up their search for Paul Michael Merhige, the Miami man accused of killing four relatives on Thanksgiving.

The week-long manhunt for Merhige was elevated to a "major case'' by the U.S. Marshals Service, allowing the use of "significantly more federal resources'' to find the suspected killer, the Palm Beach Post said.

A federal reward for information on Merhige was raised to $25,000.

Merhige, 35, is accused of the shooting deaths of his twin sisters, an aunt and a 6-year-old cousin during a Thanksgiving night dinner gathering in Jupiter, Fla. One of the twins was reported to be pregnant.

Merhige indicated he had a history of mental problems and a "strong resentment toward several family members,'' the marshals Web site said.
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« Reply #10 on: December 04, 2009, 06:37:27 PM »

http://www.cbs12.com/news/police-4722950-increased-thanksgiving.html

Reward leading to the capture of alleged Thanksgiving shooter increased to $35,000

December 04, 2009 11:23 AM

Police today said the reward leading to the capture of a man accused of shooting four members of his family during a Thanksgiving celebration has increased from $25,000 to $35,000.

The added $10,000 was donated by a Jupiter business who wishes to remain anonymous.
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« Reply #11 on: December 27, 2009, 11:18:43 PM »

http://www.wptv.com/content/news/northpbc/jupiter/story/The-voice-of-Paul-Merhige-heard-for-the-first-time/exRH8UBRR0aTcnAkdKEHMQ.cspx

http://www.wptv.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=16789@wptv.dayport.com&navCatId=3

Voice of Paul Michael Merhige heard for the first time
Contributor: Rochelle Ritchie
Email: rritchie@wptv.com
Last Update: 12/24 12:02 pm

JUPITER--Paul Merhige has beeon on the run for nearly 4 weeks but new video has been released of a much
younger Merhige. It's not what hello looks like that detectives need you to pay attention to it is what
 he sounds like.

The video is of Merhige as a senior in high school. U.S. Marshals say though the video is old they want
our viewers to listen closely to his voice in hopes his voice may trigger an arrest.

"My name is Paul Merhige a senior at Guliver Prep in Miami, Florida."

These are the words of the man U.S. Marshals say fatally shot four people Thanksgiving night including
6-year-old Makayla Sitton.

"We want to give all the info we have to the public we don't want to hold anything back", says Manny Puri
with the U.S. Marshals.

In the video Merhige talks about his talent as a kicker on the schools football team in hopes scouts would
take notice.

"I am the kick off extra point and field goal place kicker in my second season"

U.S. Marshals say video with the suspects voice is just as relevant as a picture because while Merhige may
be able to disguise his appearance he will have a tough time disguising his voice.

"If the voice helps--we feel that it will we need to get it out there" Puri says.

Though a picture may not be worth a thousand words U.S. Marshals say the hope the sound of his voice will be
 worth an arrest.
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« Reply #12 on: January 03, 2010, 04:02:58 PM »

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/1407610.html

Police apprehend Paul Merhige -- Thanksgiving Day murder suspect -- in Keys



Posted on Sunday, 01.03.10
y CAMMY CLARK AND SERGIO BUSTOS crline cclark@MiamiHerald.com

LONG KEY -- Paul Michael Merhige, accused of killing four relatives on Thanksgiving Day in Palm Beach County, was tapping the keyboard of a computer in a Keys motel room late Saturday when police officers suddenly burst through the door and took him into custody, authorities said.

On Sunday morning, Merhige, 35, was inside a cell at the Palm Beach County Jail to await his next court appearance after a judge ordered him held without bond. He was wanted on four counts of murder and two counts of attempted murder.

His arrest late Saturday night marked the end of an intense 38-day manhunt by Palm Beach County and federal authorities who got a tip from a Keys motel owner who had been watching a preview of an upcoming story about the murders on the television show America's Most Wanted.

The tipster, Melinda Stewart, told authorities that she was pretty sure that a man matching Merhige's description had checked into the Edgewater Lodge on December 2.

The motel is located in an isolated stretch of U.S. 1 at Mile Marker 65.5 on Long Key. Stewart said he had been driving a blue Toyota Camry -- the same vehicle police said Merhige had driven the night of the murders -- and gave authorities a license tag number.

Acting on the tip, the U.S. Marshals Service ran the tag number and quickly discovered that car was previously registered to one of Merhige's previous vehicles -- a 1991 Lexus that he once owned in 2006.

Armed with this information, Deputy U.S. Marshals knew this was a good tip,'' said U.S. Marshals Service Deputy Barry Golden in a statement.

On Saturday night, At about 9 p.m, as America's Most Wanted went on the air, the U.S. Marshals Service and members of the Florida Regional Fugitives Task Force moved in to apprehend Merhige, who was staying in room 14 on the second floor of the two-story motel.

They carefully surrounded the motel because they had information that Merhige was armed with a high-powered rifle with a scope.

Inside the room, Merhige, said authorities, was tapping away at a computer when police officers burst into the room and took him into custody without incident.

Stewart later told authorities that her motel guest paid at least two weeks in advance -- in cash -- and had kept his Toyota Camry covered from view with a tarp.

In Palm Beach County, Jim Sitton, the father of 6-year-old Makalya Sitton, one of the murder victims, was thrilled to hear of Merhige's arrest.

&grave;&grave;I'm elated the monster is in the cage. We don't have to worry about him killing my wife or coming back for my father-in-law. It doesn't bring my daughter back but at least this chapter is over,'' he told The Palm Beach Post on Saturday night.

The Palm Beach Post reported Sunday afternoon that Merhige has been placed in isolation in the county jail's mental health unit.

Police say Merhige fatally shot his 33-year-old twin sisters, Carla Merhige and Lisa Knight, both of Miami, along with two other relatives -- his aunt Raymonde Joseph, 76, and his cousin, Makayla Sitton. Authorities said Knight was pregnant. The shooter also injured two others, including Patrick Knight, Lisa Knight's husband, police said.

Police say Paul Merhige had been at the home in Jupiter, where more than a dozen relatives were celebrating the holiday. Makayla -- Merhige's cousin -- had recited Psalms 100 from memory and the twins had sung Via De La Rosa. At the end of the night, while the family said their goodbyes, he left and returned about 10 p.m. and began shooting.
 In recounting the incident to the media at the time, Jim Sitton, said the evening was coming to an end and the family was saying their goodbyes. Then, Sitton said, Merhige left through the front door, went to his car, returned through the back door and opened fire.

Sitton heard gunshots and saw Carla Merhige -- who was at the front of the house -- drop to the floor. Sitton ran out the back door, thinking the shots were coming from the front of the house and that he was being chased by an unseen gunman.

After exiting, Sitton heard gunshots from inside the house. From outside, he heard shots fired from inside a room where his daughter was in bed.

``I came in the front door and he was gone, and she was dead,'' he said.

Sitton -- a South Florida photo and video journalist -- added that while he was aware that Merhige had ``past problems,'' when he was told Merhige would be at the family's Thanksgiving dinner he assumed he ``was getting better.''

``I sat two seats down from him [during dinner],'' Sitton said. He told The Palm Beach Post that his daughter's alleged killer was ``evil'' and ``deranged,'' but that during the evening he had kept mostly quiet.

It's unclear what happened to send Paul Merhige on the rampage, but he and Carla Merhige had previously gone to court in connection with charges of domestic violence, records show.

In 2006, Carla Merhige, Paul Merhige's younger sister, so feared her brother could turn violent that she went to court to ask a Miami-Dadejudge to keep him away from her.

In her request for a restraining order against him, Carla Merhige claimed that her brother had threatened to kill her -- as well as himself -- and refused to take medication for an unnamed mental illness.

Carla Merhige, quoting her brother, said he stood in her face, telling her &grave;&grave;I'm going to slit your throat'' and &grave;&grave;this time I'm not going to go by myself (referring to a recent suicide attempt),'' according to court documents. She said the threats happened on a &grave;&grave;regular basis'' and sought the court's help to &grave;&grave;prevent further incidents of violence and harrassment.''

Despite her fears, Carla Merhige voluntarily withdrew her request for a restraining order on May 12, 2006 -- just three weeks after filing it.

Eight years earlier, Paul Merhige had sought protection from law enforcement authorities after he accused his sister of trying to kill him. He dropped the request about five weeks later.

At the time, Paul Merhige alleged that Carla had told him that &grave;&grave;If I had the chance to get away with it, I'll kill you [sic].''

Paul Merhige claimed that his sister broke his bedroom door down, began screaming at him and spit in his face before wrestling him to the floor. He said he was being treated for &grave;&grave;obsessive compulsive disorders'' and that Carla and other family members &grave;&grave;were aware of his treatment, but would purposely harass him, contradicting the doctor's orders.''

He claimed family members wanted him &grave;&grave;to get worse and not overcome his illness.''

No criminal charges were filed in either case.

Since the murders, Palm Beach and federal authorities have been on an intense manhunt for Merhige, searching as far as Michigan for him.

At one point, they had a tip that he was near downtown Miami -- but that proved false.
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« Reply #13 on: January 03, 2010, 04:06:01 PM »

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/01/03/2010-01-03_thanksigiving_murder_suspect_paul_merhige_busted_by_americas_most_wanted_tip.html


Thanksgiving Day murder suspect Paul Merhige busted in Florida by 'America's Most Wanted' tip

BY Soraya Roberts
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER


Paul Merhige, accused of shooting his cousing Makayla Sitton and 3 other family members on Thanksgiving Day, was caught in a motel in the Florida Keys.

hanks to 'America's Most Wanted,' Florida 's Paul Michael Merhige, accused of shooting his four family members, including 6-year-old cousin Makayla Sitton, on Thanksgiving day, has been arrested.

A tip from a TV viewer led to the arrest of Merhige, 35, in Monroe County on Saturday night, CNN reports.

Authorities at a news conference revealed that the tipster recognized Merhige and his car from 'America's Most Wanted.' The suspect had reportedly checked into the Edgewater Lodge, in Florida's Middle Keys, on Dec. 2 under the name John Baca.
<snip>




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« Reply #14 on: January 03, 2010, 04:10:03 PM »

http://www.examiner.com/x-14795-Page-One-Examiner~y2010m1d3-Makayla-Sitton-suspect-Paul-Merhige-arrested

Makayla Sitton suspect, Paul Merhige, arrested

January 3, 10:24 AM

Paul Merhige, the suspect in the killing of Makayla Sitton, has been arrested by police in the Florida Keys.

Makayla Sitton was killed, along with others of her family, as they rose from their Thanksgiving dinner. The suspect all along has been Paul Merhige, Makalya Sitton's cousin and another guest at the dinner:

Police say Merhige fatally shot his 33-year-old twin sisters, Carla Merhige and Lisa Knight, both of Miami, along with two other relatives -- his aunt Raymonde Joseph, 76, and his cousin, Makayla Sitton. Authorities said Knight was pregnant. The shooter also injured two others, including Patrick Knight, Lisa Knight's husband, police said. Police say Paul Merhige had been at the home in Jupiter, where more than a dozen relatives were celebrating the holiday. Makayla -- Merhige's cousin -- had recited Psalms 100 from memory and the twins had sung Via De La Rosa. At the end of the night, while the family said their goodbyes, he left and returned about 10 p.m. and began shooting.

Paul Merhige was caught when police received a tip off just minutes after a segment about him had run on America's Most Wanted.

The Tipster told police that a man resembling Paul Merhige had registered the motel in the Florida Keys on December 2 nd. Police raided the joint and were able to arrest Merhige for the killing of Makayla Sitton and the others.
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« Reply #15 on: January 03, 2010, 04:12:01 PM »

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/os-paul-merhige-captured-010309,0,4623394.story

Paul Merhige, fugitive in Thanksgiving-dinner massacre, ordered held without bond on murder charges
Officials credit "America's Most Wanted" television show for helping in the fugitive's capture at a motel


 By Brian Haas and Rachel Hatzipanagos, South Florida Sun Sentinel

2:27 p.m. EST, January 3, 2010


fter hiding out in an ocean front Keys motel for over a month, accused killer and one of Florida's most wanted fugitives Paul Michael Merhige sits in the Main Detention Center in Palm Beach County this morning.

"This does not bring my daughter back so I'm not jumping up and down in jubilation," Jim Sitton, father of the youngest of the four victims, said at a news conference. "At least I will be able to sleep knowing that the monster is not right outside my door to finish what he started on Thanksgiving."

Merhige has been charged with four counts of premeditated murder and is being held without bond after police said he gunned down four family members including a 6-year-old girl at a Thanksgiving dinner in Jupiter.

He made his first appearance in court Sunday morning, wearing a blue jumpsuit and a blank expression on his face. When the judge asked if he would want to comment, he declined. Merhige's next court appearance will be on Feb. 1.
<snip>
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« Reply #16 on: January 03, 2010, 04:38:23 PM »

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/crime/father-merhige-accused-family-of-not-taking-care-160325.html?cxntcid=breaking_news
Father: Merhige accused family of not taking care of him

By Christine Stapleton and Andrew Marra

Palm Beach Post Staff WriterPalm Beach Post Staff Writer

Updated: 2:52 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 3, 2010

Posted: 1:00 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 3, 2010
JUPITER — Paul Michael Merhige's grudge against his family was that they did not do enough to take care of him, a point that the mentally troubled man argued with them constantly before police say he executed his twin sisters and two other relatives on Thanksgiving Day, Merhige's father told police.

In an arrest report released today as Merhige made his first court appearance, his father, Michael Merhige, told police that the 35-year-old man had recently stopped taking medications and had once shot himself in the chest years earlier in an attempt to kill himself.

Along with his resentments toward his family, he had a beef with his brother-in-law, Patrick Knight, who he claimed had refused to treat him when he was sick with mono years earlier. (Knight was shot by Merhige along with his wife — Merhige's sister Lisa Knight — and three other relatives but survived.)

Police and family members have previously detailed Merhige's mental problems and battles with his family but they had never revealed the details of those arguments.

Merhige's father had invited him to a Thanksgiving dinner at the Jupiter home of his cousin, Muriel Sitton, and her husband, Jim. The day before the gathering, Merhige repeatedly asked his father what time the event would start and how long it was expected to last.

On Thanksgiving Day, Merhige arrived more than an hour late to the family feat at the Jupiter home of his cousin, Muriel Sitton.

He sat with the family but did not eat, according to his father's account to Jupiter police.

Before police said he began shooting, Merhige went outside to his car and stayed there for 20 or 30 minutes, according to the report.

When he came back in authorities say he opened fire on the 17 family members gathered. Those who could ran out into the back yard.

Merhige's father told police that as he ran outside he saw his dying daughter, Lisa Knight, laying by some bushes.

He attempted to revive her with CPR and stayed with her until police arrived.
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